Bountiful Destiny
by Gray Love
Summary: A newcomer arrives in Mineral Town and the whole town is stirred by his arrival.
1. The Newcomer

Author's Note: This is a sequel to the Unexpected Visitor. Like its predecessor, it is based a little bit on HM:MFoMT, FoMT and BTN and this fanfic happened several years after the last chapter of the fanfic I mentioned…I only own the characters I mentioned in that fanfic, as well as their children, and Taylor Peterson.

Chapter I: The Newcomer

The sun was shining brightly one fine early Spring morning, illuminating the whole village of Mineral Town in its light. The town had clearly grown a little larger as new houses were erected around the town where a few people lived. At the docks, a ferry had harbored. A young man was standing on the deck. His gray eyes scanned the town beach, it was empty. He wasn't surprised; most people came here usually during the Summer season. He grabbed his suitcase, which stood beside him. Slowly, he walked down the gangplank of the ferry as the waves rocked it slowly. A gentle Spring breeze blew his fiery red hair, which he had to comb back with his hand.

As he walked down the shore, the young man spotted an attractive, young lady walking along the shoreline. The calm waves lapped at her feet. A pair of brown shoes dangled from her grasp. Her shoulder-length, yellow orange locks flowed with the wind.

In an instant, his gray eyes met her sapphire eyes, the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. She walked towards him, the sunlight caught in her hair as she made her way to him.

"Hello." He said.

"Hello. Welcome to Mineral Town." Her voice was soft, indicating a hint of shyness.

"Thank you, my name's Taylor, Taylor Peterson." Taylor extended his free hand.

"I'm Gem, Gem Silvercraft." Her eyes seemed to sparkle as they shook hands.

"Silvercraft?" Her name suddenly registered in his mind. "Are you by any chance related to Gray Silvercraft?"

"Yes, he's my father." Gem answered, she was used to being asked that same question by the many people who visited the village annually. Ever since she was a little girl, she knew her father was a miner, and a blacksmith, after her great grandfather passed away, and because of a successful mining excavation some years back as well as the usual flow of visitors to the village, her father had become a well-renowned jeweler, and he still maintained his job as a miner and a blacksmith.

"Would you like me to show you around?" She changed the subject, she hoped he wouldn't mind.

"If it's alright with you." He said politely.

"It's alright." She beamed as she put on her shoes. The two of them walked towards the stairs heading to the town, side by side. They climbed up the stairs slowly.

Taylor was surprised to see a large square. The town square, he presumed. Gem noticed the look of surprise on his face. "This is Rose Square; this is where most of the festivals in town are held." She explained. She was used to being a guide around the town, most of the new visitors would always ask her to lead their tour of the village. "If it's alright with you, we could go to the Inn so that you could rest for awhile." She suggested.

"Well, I'm not really tired but I think I'll just rent a room and put this suitcase down." He motioned to the suitcase in his left hand. She nodded and led him to the Inn, which was located at the center of the village.

The Inn was a three-story building, and like most of the other buildings in town, it was painted a light tan shade. The roof was made of dark brown tiles. As the two entered the Inn through the oak double doors, a young boy with brown hair looked up from one of the tables he was wiping with a white cloth and smiled.

"Hey Gem." The boy said.

"Hi Cain, busy day?" Gem gave Cain a smile.

"Not really. Oh, who's your friend?" Cain smiled playfully as he put his hands in the pockets of his denim overalls.

"Cain, this is Taylor. Taylor, Cain." Amy said.

"It's nice to meet you, Cain." Taylor said.

"Nice to meet you too, Taylor. Well, I have to finish my chores now. Mom would be pretty mad if she finds out I'm not done yet." Cain returned to his work.

At that moment, an attractive woman came out from a door leading to the back room. Her long orange hair was tied back in a simple ponytail. "Cain, aren't you done yet?"

"I'm almost done, Mom." Cain said as he wiped his sweaty brow.

The woman looked up from her son to the two newcomers. "Oh, I'm sorry, Gem. I didn't know you were here…And who is this young man with you?"

"It's alright Auntie Ann. This is Taylor." Gem smiled.

"It's nice to meet you, Taylor." Ann gave him a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you to Mrs. Ann…"

"Landers." Ann finished for him. "Well, do you need a room?" She added.

"Yes, Mrs. Landers." Taylor nodded.

Ann smiled as she went to the back of the counter. She took a key from the key holders on the small board hanging on the wall behind the counter. Taylor moved to the front of the counter. She handed him the key. "Your room is the second one on the second floor." She explained. Taylor went upstairs as Gem stayed downstairs and chatted with her Auntie Ann.

When he reached the second floor, Taylor went to the second door as he was told and placed the key in the keyhole. He turned it. The door opened a small crack. He pushed it open and entered the room. At the first sight of his room, he liked it. It was simple and homey with three soft-looking beds, three bedside tables with tabletop lamps, and a round, sturdy wooden table in the left corner with three, sturdy wooden chairs. Near the curtained windows was a side-table with a vase on top of it, full of what looked like yellow flowers. He put his suitcase down and tried the bed nearest the door. He was surprised to find the bed felt just the way it looked, not too soft, not too hard. It wouldn't cause backaches at any rate. He stood up and went downstairs, knowing that Gem was still waiting for him. He found her still chatting with Mrs. Landers. She looked at him.

"Oh, are you ready to go?" Gem gave him one of her sweet smiles.

"Yes, I am." He nodded.

Gem turned to Ann. "I have to go, Auntie Ann."

"Okay, Gem."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Landers."

"Goodbye, Taylor." Ann waved as Taylor followed Gem out of the oak doors.

A/N: I did a few adjustments to the Inn. I was always intrigued by three-story buildings.


	2. The Guide

Author's Note: I'm sorry I took so long to update. I was concentrating on my other fanfic. Anyway, on with the story.

Chapter II: The Guide

Gem and Taylor passed a large building with a connecting vineyard at the right side. "This is AJA Winery, Uncle Cliff Landers works here now after Mr. Duke Grape gave him the winery. He also had it written in his last will and testament. They say Mr. Grape was like a father to Uncle Cliff and vice versa. Mr. Grape and his wife moved to the city after that to live near his daughter, Aja" Gem explained.

"I see. So Cain will inherit this winery when he's old enough?"

"I suppose so. Either that or his sister Allie will, I doubt she'll take it though." Gem said. She smiled as she remembered the fresh grapes which she and her mother had helped pick last Fall. Last year produced a bountiful harvest.

Taylor couldn't help feeling strangely comfortable when he was with Gem. His thoughts wandered elsewhere as memories flooded his mind…memories about the past girls in his life.

"Shall…Shall we move on?" Gem's shy voice broke through his thoughts.

"…Yes, please." His lips curled into a faint smile. He hoped she didn't think him strange. Her confidence seemed to have returned a bit as she smiled back.

They visited the old library, which was now slightly rundown on the outside as small green vines slithered down from the cracks on the wall and the paint was peeling down in curls in some areas. "I know it looks slightly old but it's still a good library. Mama said that Auntie Mary…" Gem fell silent.

"Is something wrong?" Taylor asked; a look of concern etched on his face.

"Auntie Mary was one of Mama's closest friends before...she passed away with her husband, Uncle Alex."

"…I'm so sorry."

"I liked Auntie Mary a lot. She was one of the nicest women I know. Her parents, Granduncle Basil and Grandaunt Anna still live next door to the library. And if you look over there…" Gem pointed to the small house which now stood at the end of the street where tall trees had once been standing before.

"That's Maan Lance's, Uncle Alex and Auntie Mary's daughter's, house. Her grandparents thought it best that she live here since she had no other relatives in the city."

Gem turned to face Taylor, she pointed to the house behind him. "That's Uncle Tim and Auntie Elli Whitman's house. They used to live on the second floor of the clinic next to the supermarket, but since some years ago, they made the second floor into a small extension of the clinic, adding a few more beds and stuff in it. Their daughter, Theresa, lives there with them. Auntie Elli's grandma, Great Grandaunt Ellen, passed away a few years ago."

"The house next to their house is the Mayor's House. Mayor Thomas Mayor has lived there since the villagers could remember. His son, Mr. Harris, who used to be the town's policeman, got married to Aja. They have been living in the city since."

Gem led Taylor pass the two houses she mentioned. They stopped in front of a large building with an orange-tiled roof. Gem looked at him. "This is the supermarket. Auntie Karen works…"

"Excuse me, Gem, but do you mean Karen Lorren? The wife of Matthew Lorren?"

Gem nodded. "Auntie Karen's my real aunt; she is my mother's cousin's wife. She works here at the supermarket and her parents, Granduncle Jeff and Grandaunt Sasha, still live in here. The next two buildings after that are the clinic, which I've already told you about, and the Church. Pastor Clark lives there. He came to the village after the old pastor, Pastor Carter, was made a bishop."

The two of them then took the road leading back to the Inn. Gem led Taylor back to Rose Square before heading to the road south of the square.

From there, the two passed a large ranch. The words on wooden sign hanging from two poles read Yodel Ranch. An attractive dark-haired young man in his twenties stood outside, a brush in his hand. He was brushing the coat of a black stallion, his back was to them. "Hello Stu." The man turned around and his mouth curved into a genuine smile.

"Hello Gem. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Oh, Taylor, this is Stu, part-owner of Yodel Ranch. Stu, this is Taylor."

"Nice to meet you." Stu extended his free hand.

Taylor took it. "Nice to meet you too." They shook hands.

"Stu, where's May?"

"She's inside, taking care of little Ken."

"Oh, may I visit Ken later?" Gem smiled sweetly, she felt giddy at the thought of cute little baby Ken.

Stu smiled. "Of course."

"Thank you, Stu. We should be going now."

"Okay. See you later then."

"See you later." Taylor said. The two men shook hands again.

"Yes. See you later." Gem said as she and Taylor walked on. They stopped in front of a cozy house across from Yodel Ranch.

"This…" Gem began. "…is Uncle Paul Marcon's house. He lives here with his wife Auntie Vanessa and their son, Paul Marcon Junior." Taylor acknowledged Paul Marcon Senior, the name of one of the most brilliant painters who once lived in Evergreen city before he moved to Mineral Town at his wife's cajoling, partly. His interest in art, as Taylor knew, had grown because of the beautiful landscape paintings he had seen in books of the works of the famous painter. But there was one portrait among all that interested him, it was the portrait of a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair who was wearing a sapphire blue gown that emphasized her stunning blue eyes. The portrait was known as The Heart's Lady. Taylor was fascinated by that portrait the most.

"Taylor?" Gem soft voice broke through his thoughts once more. Taylor looked at her, she reminded of him the woman in the portrait. "Yes, Gem?"

"Could we move on?" She asked.

He nodded. "Of course."

The two walked towards the house beside the Marcon's house. Gem stopped in front of the door and turned to face Taylor. "This is my house, the Silvercraft household. I live here with my family." Taylor noted that the house was a cozy two-story building like most of the houses they had passed except this one was white compared to the usual tan shade of the others. The roof was made of blue tiles and the windows had blue shutters.

"Over there…" Gem pointed to the neighboring house, a shop. "That's the blacksmith shop where Papa and Adam, my older brother, work. The small shop next door…" She pointed to the shop closer to her house. "…is "Fortune Gems". You've probably heard of it since you know my father."

Taylor looked up at the sign hanging outside the shop. It was a large sapphire and just below it hung a silver sign; Fortune Gems was embossed on it in gold letters. His thoughts wandered to a certain emerald ring he had seen in Evergreen city, an exquisite ring that was made and bought from that very shop. A light tap on his shoulder brought him back.

"Taylor, are…are you okay?" Gem's shyness seemed to have returned.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Gem; you must think I'm strange by now." Taylor rubbed the nape of his neck sheepishly as he flushed in embarrassment.

"Oh…No, I don't think so." His gray eyes looked at her. She looked away from him shyly.

"Oh, which reminds me, the two farms across from here are the Poultry Farm and the Meadow Farm, respectively." She pointed them out. "Uncle Rick Cane lives at the Poultry Farm with his wife, Auntie Flora, and their daughter, Lily. Grandaunt Lillia, Uncle Rick's mother, lives with them too. The road on the right side of the Poultry Farm…" She pointed out the road. "…leads to Meadow Farm, where Uncle Matt works and lives with Auntie Karen and Marc, my cousin. Oh, and the road to the left leads to a cabin in the woods behind the Poultry Farm. The cabin is where Gotz, the woodcutter, lives." She turned to face him again after she indicated which road to take. "Well, I think I've shown you around, at least most of the town. There are rarely any visitors this time of the year but when summer approaches, that's when they come here for one reason or another."

"Thank you for showing me around, Gem." Taylor said, his voice was sincere.

"Your welcome, Taylor." Gem smiled.

"Gem!" Gem turned around and so did Taylor. A young man who looked just like Gem was leaning on the doorframe of her house.

"Adam, what is it?" Gem seemed just a little bothered by her older twin brother's presence.

"It's time for your piano practice." Adam answered.

"Already?" She turned to face Taylor. "I have to go, Taylor. It was nice to meet you." She smiled before she went inside, passing her brother without acknowledging him. Adam and Taylor looked at each other. The blonde young man had an expressionless face, Taylor noted. Adam closed the door behind him.

'Gem's beautiful and nice, but her brother's kind of…protective?' Taylor thought before heading to the Inn.


	3. Meetings and Memories

A/N: Thank you for your reviews. I hope you will like this next chapter.

Chapter III: Meetings and Memories

The news of Taylor's arrival spread like wildfire in the small town. Some of the townspeople who had been introduced to him spoke of him to those who hadn't. Amy Silvercraft, Ann Landers, Karen Lorren and Elli Whitman met in Rose Square to talk about Taylor. Only Ann, among the group, had actually met the young man.

"Ann, what does he look like?" Karen asked her best friend.

"Well, he has red hair, gray eyes, and broad-shoulders. He is nice." Ann sighed. "If only I had a daughter, I would introduce her to him."

"But you do have a daughter, Ann." Elli stated.

"I know, but she's not old enough." Ann looked at her two children, who were at the far corner of the square. Six year old Allie was playing tag with her older brother Caleb, who was fourteen. Karen turned to Elli.

"Elli, perhaps Theresa would interest him." She said.

Elli looked at her best friend. "Oh no, Karen. I think Gem would. He's already met her." The three women looked at Amy.

"Perhaps you're right, Elli, but it would be the other way around." Amy said, remembering how her daughter had smiled the day before. Adam had told her the reason why with a moody face that reminded Amy of how Gray had looked almost eighteen years ago.

The four women went to the church after Cain had taken Allie home. The four walked into the graveyard. They stood before a tombstone. All of them had sad faces on as they read the epitaph engraved on it.

Mary Herb Lance

A Loving Daughter, A Good Wife

And A Caring Mother

Born: The 20th day of Winter

Died: The 8th day of Summer

Amy was the most moved; she had lost two great friends. Alex and Mary had died almost eight years ago in a car accident. Basil and Anna had brought their granddaughter, Maryanne, with them when they had returned from the city. The funeral was held the day they arrived.

Alex's parents came once a year to visit their granddaughter and their only child's grave. Alex's friends and fans also came. They were very impressed with the town and the townspeople that they brought others along and so the tourists started coming every summer.

After a few moments, the four women went their separate ways. Amy walked home. But before she went inside, she looked at the house, her home for almost seventeen years. She remembered how Gray had surprised her on their wedding night. The sound of sweet music broke through her thoughts. Amy smiled. Gem played the piano almost everyday and she had improved greatly. She opened the front door.

"Good morning, Mama."

"Good morning, Gem." Amy smiled at the sight of her precious daughter. She went to the kitchen and placed a kettle filled with water on the stove to boil as Gem continued playing the piano. 'How time flies.' Amy mused as she set the tea tray with four tea cups and a teapot full of fresh oolong tea leaves. Memories flooded in her mind…the day her children were born…the twins' first steps…Gem saying Mama, her first word while Adam said Papa…the twins' learning to read, write and draw…the twins' learning to swim…Gem helping her at the farm while Adam helped his father…the twins' growing up and having crushes…The sound of the kettle whistling broke through her reverie. Amy put on an oven mitt before taking the kettle out of the stove. She poured the water into the teapot full of tea leaves and closed the teapot with the lid. Amy removed the oven mitt and placed a plate full of oatmeal cookies on the tea tray. She poured some milk onto a small dish and placed it on the tea tray before she brought the tea tray into the lounge.

Tano, the family's chocolate-striped, cream cat, followed her. Amy placed the tea tray onto the coffee table before she set the small dish of milk for him on the lush carpeted floor. The small cat lapped it up. Amy remembered Tiger and Lioness, her two pet cats, as she watched him, their offspring, lap at his milk. She sat down gracefully on the comfy sofa nearest her and poured herself some tea. 'Things change.' She said to herself as she sipped her cup.


	4. Girls and Siblings

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the late update. I've been very busy with my Ragnarok Online fanfic and my academic life. I hope to be update more but for now, I hope you'll like this chapter. : 3

Chapter IV: Girls and Siblings

It had been a week since Taylor had arrived and he found himself walking around the town. He took a hike up Mother's Hill only to come across a flowering field. The fresh blooms were yellow and pretty in a sense. A thought came to mind.

'I wonder if Gem likes flowers.' Without a hint of hesitation, he picked some, hoping to give them to her later. He knew a lot of girls who liked flowers but he also knew some who did not. He hoped she liked them. For some reason, he no longer had the urge to continue hiking up to the peak so he turned back.

As he was walking across the wooden bridge, Taylor saw an attractive girl standing by the lake. She had long black hair and intelligent amethyst eyes. She looked sad, he noted. He felt as if he needed to leave her alone but he just didn't have the heart to leave a girl so sad. He walked towards her. For a fleeting second she noticed him before she looked at the clear water again as if deep in thought.

Taylor gave her the best smile he could muster. "Hello."

"Hello." She spoke indifferently as she looked at him.

"Is something wrong?"

"No!" Her tone did not change. He handed her a flower.

"What's this?"

"It's for you."

"…Thanks…I better go."

She was about to leave when..."Wait, I don't know your name."

The girl turned around. "Maan." "I'm Taylor." She seemed indifferent as she headed to town. When she was gone, Taylor sighed. "She's strange…yet pretty."

Taylor headed towards Gem's house, he couldn't forget the directions to it especially the girl who lived in it. The flowers he had picked were bunched up in an improvised bouquet in his hand. He was just about to reach the house when a beautiful woman walked towards him. "Good morning, Ma'am." He bowed lightly.

"Good morning…wait, aren't you, Taylor?"

"Yes, Ma'am." She smiled and Taylor noticed that she and Gem looked alike though she looked just a little older and her hair was more of a golden color.

"Mama!" Taylor almost gasped when he heard Gem's voice. He had been talking to the matron of the Silvercraft household.

The older woman looked behind her. "Gem, what is it?"

"Mama, you forgot to bring your watering can." Gem held out the empty watering can.

Amy smiled. "Oh, thank you, darling." She took the watering can. "Well, I should be going, it was a pleasure to meet you, Taylor." She added.

"It was a pleasure to meet you too, Mrs. Silvercraft."

Amy smiled, amused. She hadn't been called Mrs. Silvercraft before. She left the two and headed down the road towards Meadow Farm.

When Amy had disappeared behind the trees, Taylor turned to Gem. "Hello Gem. It's nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you too, Taylor. So you've met my mother?" Gem smiled though a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.

"I didn't think she was your mother, I thought she was your sister."

Gem giggled; a sweet sound to Taylor's ears. "Do you mean it, or were you just teasing?"

"I meant it. I almost didn't believe that she was your mother, she looked as though she were just a few years older than you."

"Mama would have liked to hear you say that."

Taylor suddenly remembered the bouquet in his hands. "Oh, these are for you." He held out the bouquet to her.

Gem was surprised. "Oh, thank you, Taylor." She took the flowers delicately. She had the grace of her mother, he thought.

"Would you like to come in and have some tea?" Gem gestured to her house.

"I would be delighted." Taylor smiled.

Adam watched as his sister and the new guy, Taylor what's his name, entered the house. He was in the forging room, working on a necklace when…he burned his finger. "Darn." "You should concentrate more." He turned around at the sound of a male voice and was face-to-face with a yellow-orange haired man, his father. "I'm sorry, Dad." He bowed his head low, ashamed to be caught that way at work.

Gray sighed with a smile on his face as he looked at his teenaged son. "You know, Adam. You remind me of myself when I was your age." Adam looked at his father curiously. Gray smiled as he combed his hair back with his hand. He had abandoned his cap when he was twenty-two, on he and Amy's third wedding anniversary. Though he no longer wore his cap, he still maintained the length of his hair to just lightly touch the nape of his neck. He made sure Adam, his only son, didn't wear a cap and would never need to, even when they worked at the shop.

"I didn't concentrate so much on working at the shop then either until I met my inspiration." He explained to his son.

"Mom?" Adam asked, his voice inquiring.

Gray could only nod though he knew the answer was partly true. He had feelings for Mary before he met Amy, the woman he truly loved and was happily married to for almost seventeen years.

"She inspired me to work harder and encouraged me to do my utmost best while she still helped Uncle Matt on his farm."

"Wow, Mom must have been remarkable." Adam smiled proudly; the tone of his voice was awed.

"She still is…Well, we had better get back to work." Gray said as he turned around and left the forging room.

"Dad?" Gray turned around at his son's call. "…What do you think of the new guy?" Adam looked at him inquiringly. Gray looked at his son thoughtfully. "I think the young man's alright but I'm not quite sure if he's right for your sister." He answered; a smile on his face.


End file.
